


Math Homework

by elliotaldersmol



Category: Mr. Robot (TV)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Child Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Explicit Language, F/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-05-06 09:13:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5411249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliotaldersmol/pseuds/elliotaldersmol
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He lowered his eyes to his textbook and a trembling sigh came out of his lips. Nothing written down in the problem made sense to him, yet he knew he had to solve it.<br/>A quick one-shot to try to understand the complex relationship between Elliot and his mother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Math Homework

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, thanks for reading! I'm not a native English speaker, I apologize for any mistake! || For my sausagrid.

Elliot looked around the silent room, fear sparkling in his eyes. He was sitting on his chair and his elbows were resting on the green Formica table. He lowered his eyes to his textbook and a trembling sigh came out of his lips. Nothing written down in the problem made sense to him, yet he knew he had to solve it. Elliot turned his head to look at the clock, and a sudden strike of panic hit him. His small fingers tightened around his pen as the pace of his heartbeat fastened. He had to find a solution.

Elliot glared at his textbook, desperately trying to put the words together. He felt the anxiety take over him as he shuddered and his palms became sweaty. Why couldn’t he think of anything? He used to be excellent at math. What was happening to him? He softly wept in frustration and fear, letting his head fall on the table.

A key turning inside the lock made him jump, he gasped as he quickly gathered his stuff with his shaky hands and started to run towards his bedroom. In his panicked rush in the stairs, Elliot dropped his pencil case which spilled supplies all the way down the last step. The door opened, and closed loudly, making him jump again. The familiar sound of keys being thrown on top of the mahogany table in the hall made his throat tighten as he ran inside his bedroom, closing the door behind him. Elliot slid under his bed, shivering with fear. He brought his knees to his chest and rolled into a ball, trying to shield himself from the outside world.

“What the fuck is this?” a feminine voice came from downstairs, which made Elliot’s breath stagger even more. “Elliot!”

The frail boy backed away in the darkness, feeling caged and suffocated by the mattress resting inches from his face.

“Elliot, who do you think I am? Your maid? I won’t clean up your shit, come out!” his mother angrily shouted, and Elliot could hear her climbing the stairs.

The little boy’s fear increased with every step taking her closer to him. Finally, the bedroom door flew open and he could see his mother’s feet stomping inside.

“Elliot, I know you’re in here. Don’t make me come and get you.” she said in a threatening tone, but only silence answered. “Fine, this is my last straw. Say goodbye to your fucking computer!”  
The little boy’s bright greenish eyes opened wide as he watched his mother’s feet move towards his desk.

“Three, two...”

“No! No, mom! Please!” Elliot shrieked as he crawled out of under the bed and his eyes met her fierce and aggressive look. She had the white keyboard in her hands and his breath was stuck in his throat. This computer was all that he had, and she knew it.

“Why were you hiding?” she yelled at him and a shiver ran down his spine as she clutched at the keyboard tighter.

“I, I…” he stuttered, but there was no point in lying. She’d find out the truth one way or another, she always knew. “I didn’t do my math homework, I know you wanted it done before five thirty, I’m sorry.” he added in a shaky voice, his eyes filling up with unshed tears. His mother glared at him, clearly raging, before violently slamming the keyboard on the wooden desk, making the keys fly out in the room.

“Mom, why?” the little boy asked, his voice brittle with emotion. “I’m sorry!”

“Sorry isn’t enough, Elliot!” she yelled back and slapped him across the face with such force that his skinny body fell to the floor. She looked down at him as he sobbed, holding on his cheek. “You’re good at nothing. You’re a failure.” the brown haired woman uttered in disgust. “Your father would be disappointed.” she added before walking out of the room.

Elliot laid still on the squashy carpet, whimpering in pain and begging for forgiveness. Her anger would always build up and explode too quickly, over nothing. His situation was, sadly, usual now. Where did his mother go? The loving, caring one who used to be so sweet and gentle? Why did he have to endure her pain too? He missed her.

His mother finally came back in his room half an hour later, and found him sitting in front of his large and heavy computer screen, staring at what appeared to her as some random numbers and letters.  
She slowly approached him and he didn’t seem to acknowledge her, too focused in whatever he was doing online. She ran a hand through his brown hair and he jumped, suddenly breaking from his personal bubble. Elliot stared at her with a worried look, and she leaned down to place a small kiss on his forehead.

“I love you, Elliot.” his mother said softly and put her hand on his shoulder, making the little boy instantly flinch at her touch. He went back to staring at his monitor, confused. He wondered if she meant it, how she could say such hurtful things one moment and whisper sweet nothings the other. She had an iron fist in a velvet glove.

“Why did you threaten my computer, mom?” Elliot asked in a barely audible voice. He didn’t want to talk about her hurting him. Truth to be told, his computer was what mattered the most to him. It was the only thing he was interested in, the only thing that could allow him to escape from the excruciating reality for a few hours.

“Honey, you need to learn discipline… And I will not hesitate to take it away if you disobey again. But I love you, you’re my son.” she replied as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

“But… It’s all I have left from dad.” he said in a voice just above a whisper, and his mom shook her head.

“Don’t talk about him.” she replied coldly as she tightened the hug.

Elliot felt like he was suffocating, his hatred towards touch started when she changed. He hated being touched, especially by the one who hurt him everyday. He despised her, somewhere, but she was still his mother. He was just a child. Maybe he had to put on his mother’s pain and feel it for her, through his many bruises and cuts, as well as sheer terror, anxiety and tears. Maybe that’s what he had to do for her. He was confused, lost. Elliot loved his mother, but feared her. He felt so alone.

“I don’t want you to forget that, sweetheart. I gave you life, I did everything for you.” she added as she placed another kiss on his cheek and he wondered if she’d ever apologize. But she never did, probably never will. The last time he heard her say sorry was on his father’s deathbed.

She slowly straightened and made a few steps back. “Well, now that that’s taken care of… I need a smoke.” she stated as she walked out of the bedroom and left her son alone in the dark, his bruised face only lit up by the computer screen.


End file.
